No electricity. No roads or cars. No bathrooms or outhouses. No cell service. No motorboats. Just water, a pack, a paddle, and a canoe.

I went off the grid for three days last week in the far recesses of Northern Minnesota, near the Canadian border. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is a swath of land that includes 1,100 lakes and no human civilization.

Here's why I went off the grid:

Deal With My Addiction: I was cut off from my addiction to the phone, radio, TV, computer. No distractions. No wasted time. No political ads.

Be In Awe: I saw the Northern Lights pulsating green and blue in the sky at 4:00AM. It was a spiritual experience. God. Is. Big. ​

Be Fully Present: There were few distractions and lots of silence. I was focused on the moment, not what's next. This gave me time for meaningful conversations with my dad, wife, and two oldest kids. We chatted about things we never would have talked about in civilization.

Gain Perspective: Life looks different when you step back. What you think is a big deal isn't so big from far away. The rawness of a rugged lake, a tandem of soaring eagles, and an unfiltered sky of stars tells you that you're pretty small. If God holds the stars and the eagle, he can hold you.

Boredom: In our hyper-scheduled civilization, I'm rarely bored. It's healthy to have periods of time designated for daydreaming, thinking, laughing, and spontaneous fun.

Rest: Because I was removed from most of the things that need my time, energy, and leadership, it allowed me to rest deeply.

We believe in "God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." Times of rest allow us to stop creating and simply be created. Stop working, producing, and accomplishing. Simply be a creature fashioned by the Maker. Resting is an act of faith, faith that God can handle your world even if you're not there.

I am jealous ... always wanted to canoe the Boundary Waters & the Algonquin in ON. It is amazing how well we do when we remove the noise distraction from our lives that while we are in the city we think we have to have. Kudos for getting out & enjoying nature.

Reply

Jeff Cloeter

8/15/2016 02:43:22 pm

Thanks. Keep the Boundary Waters on your list. And yes, periods of deprivation are incredibly healthy.